If you’re like most South Africans, your favourite day of the month must be payday! Bills get paid, the freezer gets filled and, budget permitting, a few luxuries may be indulged in. But have you stopped to think about the many payroll professionals who make payday possible?
 
Yet, according to Lavine Haripersad and Cathie Webb, both Executives of the South African Payroll Association (SAPA), there’s so much more that payroll does. “It’s time to recognise the many contributions payroll professionals make,” says Webb. “That’s why, on 15th August, SAPA launched its annual National Payroll Week, a campaign already celebrated religiously in the UK, US and Canada.”
 
The initiative will raise awareness of the important role payroll plays in the economy, business and people’s lives. This year, Payroll Week falls over the dates of SAPA’s national conference: 10th - 11th September for the Johannesburg event, 13th September in Cape Town and 14th September in Durban. The official slogan for National Payroll Week South Africa is “We Pay it Forward.”
 
Payroll’s contributions
“In most companies, payroll is seen as a back-office support service,” says Haripersad. “During National Payroll Week, we aim to celebrate and highlight how payroll professionals benefit their companies or the clients they service.”
 
A good payroll team motivates workers to be productive because they know they will be promptly and correctly remunerated for their labour. They also offer a human face to employees who need advice on the complicated calculations that determine their take-home pay. Plus, through voluntary deductions, payroll helps employees manage their money and reach their financial goals. In addition, they keep their organisations compliant with hundreds of ever-changing laws regulating income, taxes, information protection and more.
 
At the same time, payroll acts as a strategic advisor, providing management with information to better plan their workforce needs and control labour costs. Then there’s the economy. “A little-known fact is that payroll contributes 37.2% of the country’s total revenues,” reports Webb. It also ensures that financial planning services, like medical aids and retirement funds, are paid on time. However, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Other payroll experts, like consultants, service providers or software producers, all contribute to a system that works reliably every month.

Celebrating the week
Making National Payroll Week successful starts with the payroll professional. “We’re asking our members to get creative and find unique ways to draw attention to the occasion and their services,” says Webb. They can hang posters on department notice boards, have colourful balloons in the office, or send electronic flyers announcing the event to everyone they deal with. To build awareness, they should share their photos or fun facts on social sites like Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn, being sure to use the hashtag #PayrollWeekSA.

​They can also reach out to local news reporters, radio, bloggers or electronic news outlets to highlight their celebrations. Finally, National Payroll Week is about education, so they could hold workshops to help employees understand how their payslips are calculated.
 
SAPA asks organisations and the public to support payroll during National Payroll Week. “And next time you open your payslip,” asks Haripersad, “please remember the hardworking people behind it.”
 
ENDS
 
MEDIA CONTACT: Idéle Prinsloo, 082 573 9219, idele@thatpoint.co.za, www.atthatpoint.co.za 
 
For more information on SAPA please visit:
Website: http://www.sapayroll.co.za/
Twitter: @SAPayroll
LinkedIn: The South African Payroll Association

Forward-thinking companies put in a concerted effort to empower payroll professionals to take on the role of educating and supporting employees with regards to their benefits and remuneration packages. Employees that get paid on time are also more engaged, which has proven to increase employee productivity.
 
“When staff are paid the right amount on time every month, they are happy. Happy employees are more productive, which makes companies more profitable. Professional payroll services essentially lead to higher customer metrics, lower absenteeism, and a lower turnover of staff,” Lavine Haripersad, an executive at the South African Payroll Association (SAPA) points out.
 
SAPA 2018 Conference
To talk more on this cardinal role of payroll professionals, experts and thought leaders in the industry will be presenting at SAPA’s upcoming annual conference. The conference is set to take place across three South African cities. The Johannesburg leg will take place on 10 – 11 September, then the event moves to Cape Town on 13 September and Durban on 14 September.
 
“We have an exciting list of speakers presenting at this year’s conference. Two of the presentations will be dedicated to international payroll, which is a hot topic among payroll professionals this year. Winners of the 2018 SAPA Awards will also be announced on 10 September at the Johannesburg leg of the conference,” says Haripersad.
 
Dumisa Sihawu, Senior Tax Manager at Deloitte, will be discussing what payroll professionals need to know about expatriate payroll; Kelly-Anne Joubert, Payroll Manager at Ericsson Sub Saharan Africa, will be discussing the future of payroll professionals; Rob Bothma, Master Principal Consultant at Oracle, will explore the impact that Artificial Intelligence will have on Human Capital Management and payroll; and Eldert Bongers, Product Manager at Sage, will look at the latest technology in the industry, among other noteworthy speakers.
 
Representatives from financial institutions such as FFG and Old Mutual will also cover topics such as advanced retirement planning and how the pinch in payroll departments can be reduced.
 
“For this year’s conference theme, SAPA’s executive committee came up with the theme ‘Power’ due to the great responsibility and influence that payroll professionals have. Not only does an effective payroll department ensure that staff are paid on time, but it has the power to reshape the experience that staff has with the company,” says Haripersad.
 
Celebrating National Payroll Week 2018
This year, National Payroll Week falls on the same dates as the SAPA conference and it was established to raise the profile and awareness of payroll and help demonstrate the impact that payroll has on the economy.
 
“In many companies, payroll is seen as a back-office support service. During National Payroll Week, we aim to celebrate and highlight how payroll professionals benefit the companies where they work or the clients they service,” says Haripersad.
 
From strategic decision making to monthly rewards and remunerations, organisations rely on their payroll staff for myriad services.
 
“SAPA is encouraging all payroll professionals to put the spotlight on the value they add to their businesses. Not only does the service these professionals offering help companies find new growth opportunities and boost employee morale, but they also work tirelessly to ensure that the companies they work for comply with all the relevant legislation. During this week, I hope our members can pause to think about the important work payroll professionals do each month to make payday a buzzing day,” concludes Haripersad.
 
To attend SAPA’s annual conference, please click here: http://www.sapayroll.co.za/Events/Conference.aspx and view the programme here: http://www.sapayroll.co.za/Events/Conference.aspx#8260426-programme
 
ENDS
 
MEDIA CONTACT: Idéle Prinsloo, 082 573 9219, idele@thatpoint.co.za, www.atthatpoint.co.za  
 
For more information on SAPA please visit:
Website: http://www.sapayroll.co.za/
Twitter: @SAPayroll
LinkedIn: The South African Payroll Association